With the imminent completion of their £34 million acquisition of Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich, the Reds will have added a fourth midfield player to their roster this summer.
According to Football Insider, the Reds are ‘exploring’ a Deadline Day deal for 21-year-old Neil, so there may even be a fifth arrival.
According to the report, Gravenberch’s transfer won’t stop Liverpool from making an unlikely move for the Championship standout.
Neil, who has played for England Under-20s and was named EFL Young Player of the Month in December 2021, has shown interest in the Reds, according to Mike McGrath of the Telegraph.
McGrath reports that a number of Premier League teams are interested in signing Neil. He also says that Sunderland has previously rejected Burnley’s loan-to-buy deal, and the Clarets are considering making another one.
Neil, a defensive midfielder who was born in South Shields, has played 110 times for Sunderland’s first team thus far. He made his Sunderland debut while the team was still in League One.
He has one goal in five appearances so far in 2023–24 and is thought to be one of the Championship’s most promising young players.
In his Friday press conference, Jurgen Klopp kept quiet regarding the possibility of additional signings but waxed poetic about his new-look, younger midfield.
“When I look at the lineup before the game…yes, we’ve gotten younger, but we had to,” the player stated. “We have less experience, which is normal, but we are eager. I adore this group.
“The inherent talent set is clear, but we had to replace the players who helped this club become the most successful in recent memory, including Hendo, Fab, Milly, Wijnaldum, Naby, and Ox. You questioned if we scored enough goals from midfield; the answer is yes, we do.
“When I look at the lineup before the game…yes, we’ve gotten younger, but we had to,” he stated. “We have less experience, but that’s normal; yet, we are eager. This team is great.
“The natural skill set is evident, but we had to replace the most successful in recent history at this club: Hendo, Fab, Milly, Wijnaldum, Naby, Ox, all played major roles,” said the coach. You questioned if we had enough goals from midfield, and I can say that we do now.
“We may use various methods and consider doing so, without a doubt, but early in the season, you maintain things [doing well] by avoiding making 12 changes in four days. It’s obvious, in my opinion, that the guys we have are young, talented, and quite enthusiastic about this chance.
